"So… You remember everything that happened?"
"I do."
"Does that include… what happened to Simon?" Erza asked in a soft voice staring at the setting sun as it usually golden glow burned into the coastline in flaming oranges and reds. Jellal, however, couldn't seem to take his eyes off the ground with his hands folded, making every excuse not to look at her.
"He died by my hand." The blue haired man replied in an almost monotones voice.
"And what about the Nirvana incident?"
"Everything." he started. "I remember it as being trapped inside a fog of amnesia, it's a strange feeling."
"Is it accurate to say you are the Jellal I knew as a child?" Erza turned her head to look at him, but his gaze remained forward.
"I'd be happy if you thought of it that way, but given my crimes, I wouldn't blame you if you kept your distance." Jellals hands clenched tighter as if the words he spoke hurt and he needed a release. He ever so slightly tilted his head up looking at the horizon "And if you chose to avenge, Simon, i won't try to stop you. My life was forfeit long ago."
"Do you honestly think, Simon, would want you to die?" her tone changed as she returned her eyes to the sunset. There was a brief moment of silence, nothing but the sounds of the wind and ocean under the cliff they were standing, colliding. The breeze surrounded them blowing through their hair creating gentle waves of blue and red in front of their eyes. It only lasted a second before Erza became annoyed by her thoughts and again turned to the man next to her. "What about your new guild and all the good you've done through it? Why can't dedicate your life to fighting the darkness be your atonement?"
Jellal's gaze fell again.
"Because I don't think it can."
"Why not!?" she asked on the brink of a yell and stepped closer
"Don't get me wrong." he said "when I first created Crime Sorciere, I hoped it would bring me peace, but the things I did at the tower of heaven can't be made right that easily. Is there really a point to what I'm doing? Will these horrible thoughts ever go away? I feel so lost… perhaps it would be better if I did die…" Erza stepped in front of him as finished speaking. He didn't see her raised her hand, but he knew she must have pulled it back pretty far to attain the noise her palm made when it collided with his cheek. His eyes widened as his thoughts came up with an explanation as to what had hit him. Erza stood with her arm still held out and eyes narrowed, her breath slightly hitched as if she couldn't work out whether she should or shouldn't have done it, yet she stepped back.
"You'd be satisfied with the cowards way out!?" her fists clenched.
"I don't have the strength to overcome this." he continued in the same low almost raspy tone, " I'm not like you."
"You think you need to be strong in order to live?" she asked as if it was a stupid statement, and threw her arm back. "You're wrong! Life itself is what gives us strength." she placed her hands on his shoulders gripping tightly as if she was ready to shake the sense into him, but still his eyes refused to meet hers. "I don't see the old Jellal before me, that man was full of life, he'd never give up without a fight!"
"Maybe he's dead then," Jellal replied quickly ina harsh and blunt tone that immediately made Erza's face narrow in anger. Tightening her grip she pulled him up from the rock he was sitting on, forcing him to stand.
"Snap out of it Jellal!"
"It's too late!-" he started but lost his footing from the extra weight. He fell backward over the rock taking Erza with him. The two of them tumbled down the back of the cliff, rolling together in a blurred ball making it hard to differentiate who was who. The vibrations and motion scared the plants that surrounded the area, making them spit in a small popping sound. Maybe it was pollen, or maybe some other plant base ethernano, but whatever it was that the plants excreted, was warm and soft. Tiny balls of golden light that resembled fireflies filled their surroundings. Rising into the air and floating around them, if the sunset hadn't done enough to turn the beach gold, this had finished the job. The position they landed in wasn't exactly ideal, but neither of them could find the breath to complain as Jellal loomed over her. Erza laid flat on her back still holding onto his collar holding him rather close, Jellal leaned in as her grip commanded with his hands next to either side of her head. Both their eyes wide, unable to break from each other stare, and their breaths colliding. They both looked like they'd be more comfortable if there was some space between them, but neither made an effort to move.
"You always know what to say… don't you." Jellal spoke softly as his eyes became faint. Erza's face softened as her eyes took a doleful look
"That's not true at all," he said around her breath hooking in her throat softly. "I just stumbled through life one day at a time… that's all."
"Erza…" he almost whispered
"I-" she started after placing the back of her hand over her eyes to keep her emotions from showing, "thought I'd never see you again," she said just as quietly. His eyes looked haunted as he watched her, knowing what thoughts were running through his head shouldn't be there. Erza's gritting teeth relaxed as her efforts to stop the tears that were welling in her eyes failed. She hesitantly lifted her hands raised her hands, softly placing them on the sides of his face. She mumbled his name and his face took the same haunted expression as he talking in the sight of her, his eyes becoming leering with a want he knew he shouldn't have but couldn't escape. He shifted his hands closer and laid it on her cheek, his calloused fingers gently caressed her cheek as he wiped away her tears with his thumb. Then slowly, ever so slowly, then tension began to pull, and with it, they gently pulled each other closer. Erza's lips ever so slightly parted as Jellal leaned down to meet her. His chest clenched as another tear leaked from her eyes and fell to his hand, he knew he shouldn't be doing this, that he should push her away, make up an excuse as to why he couldn't, apologize and simply say he couldn't, lie and hurt her, but nothing would be worth that want, he wanted her bad. While he was thinking too much, Erza couldn't seem to think at all, al she knew was that she wanted, needed him and she had for a long time.
Their bodies and faces drew closer, and their heart fastened as Jellal's lips brushed against hers before he captured her lips with his own, finally. They stayed like that for a moment, both of them getting completely and utterly lost in the feeling, not wanting to find their way out. It was gently, not like other kisses they had experienced in their time, it was powerful yet gentle, made them feel like they were in nothing less than a dream, but it was very, very real. Jellal moved his other hand to her waist, wrapping his arm around her and bringing her body closer, feeling her warmth against the gently chill of the ocean breeze. Their lips danced slowly, intertwining in unison with each other. After a moment the gently parted from each other in need of air. Erza wore a soft expression as her eyes slowly opened, a red flushing her hot cheeks as she looked up at him.
"Stay with me..?" she whispered almost mumbling. An almost soundless chuckled passed through him as the corner of his lips ever so slightly lifted and he ran his hand through her hair removing it from her eyes so he could see her, all of her.
"I will."